Well, we went out a few weeks ago to get Tyler some seat time in his first ever big car(dragster). That night went over like a fart in a elevator. My dad took the first pass since its a new car with new motor and the entire night was us as a bunch of bumbling idiots(3 passes total, Tyler making none of them). First, timing light broke on us so we weren't able to time the motor, the transbrake solenoid kept sticking so sometimes once released the car wouldn't move, and when it got to about 330 it would break up the entire time like it was running out of fuel! The entire night made me wish we were back in juniors

So we got a timing light in and it was sitting at about 3degrees timing, so we now have the car timed, new TB solenoid in and the tach quit working so a new tach is installed, plus we have another carb in case we need to change it over. We are going to take the car out tomorrow night and hope that Tyler can actually make some passes in it this time! Going to put it on the stop and slow the car down until he makes a few passes and get it progressively faster until he is comfortable enough with the car! Hoping sooner or later the car will run 5.0's! Seems the family we traded the juniors too are having a good time with them and doing well!

Pool Man wrote:It sometimes can be a tough transition from jr's to a full size car. We have enjoyed ours however. You guys will get there.

well, our luck hasnt changed, it sucked with juniors and it hasnt gotten any better with the big car LOL

Got to the track Friday, this was after we made sure everything worked in the driveway at the house and we put it up on stands and made sure it shifted at 6k on the powerglide. We got to track Friday night and it was ugly with the forecast, so we left the car in the trailer until they had everything set and started calling test n tune to the lanes. Told dad to try one more pass in it before putting Tyler into the car and it started and sounded bad, turned it off and pulled the valve covers to find a loose rocker arm and a beat up pushrod. So back in the trailer the car went without even moving an inch at the track. As they say if it wasn't for bad luck we wouldn't have any luck at all! So now back to the drawing board on what caused the rocker to come loose. About ready to sell it all and get another less expensive hobby. I Am thinking of taking up whittling

Mark wrote:Hang in there and keep trying,most of us have been through some trying times. But that makes the good ones even better.

Thanks Mark, it just sucks getting ripped off like i did, but its also my fault for not having the engine i traded for checked out by someone that knows everything about them. But I am working a second job now and that money i guess will go towards paying the racing addiction

It sucks to get ripped off but stick with it. We all have bad years. I blew up two engines last year. One due to being wore out and the other due to a dumb assembly error. You will be relieved when it's all back together and you're having fun again.

mossman wrote:It sucks to get ripped off but stick with it. We all have bad years. I blew up two engines last year. One due to being wore out and the other due to a dumb assembly error. You will be relieved when it's all back together and you're having fun again.

Thanks mossman, hopefully I can take it to the engine builders in the next few weeks and have him look it over and give me an estimate of what it will take to get it put back together and what all needs replaced. The motor had some high dollar parts in it(custom pistons, aluminum rods and titanium valves, plus the heads now have to be fixed if they can be) I am hoping its only around 4-5k to get it all put back together and i think I am going to go with a bigger cam while its already apart as the cam in it now is only around 726lift and this is a 521BBF A460 headed motor. If only i had spent 500 or so on the motor we might be running right now, the pistons werent set up for these heads and their valve reliefs and i might have been able to put my own reliefs into them and went to running, but alas that didnt happen and now its busted up pretty good.

After the two blown up motors last year, I turned it around and ended up 6th in points in Pro at Norwalk. The first time for me cracking the top ten in that class at that track. With the caliber of talent that is there each race, it's nice to cross one off of the bucket list.